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CFE exercise takes place at Spangdahlem

Inspectors from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team walk through buildings during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 29, 2014. The inspectors visited the base as part of an exercise hosted by the 52nd Fighter Wing. The U.S. Air Force invited service members from both the Czech Republic and France to take part in the inspection exercise as the treaty verification team. The inspectors determined the U.S. Air Force’s compliance with CFE treaty regulations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)

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CFE exercise takes place at Spangdahlem

Inspectors from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team walk to different buildings during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 29, 2014. The Czech Republic and France inspected the installation as part of a treaty verification exercise hosted by the 52nd Fighter Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)

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CFE exercise takes place at Spangdahlem

Inspectors from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team measure an entrance door during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 29, 2014. Inspectors ensure treaty compliance by inspecting random buildings for excessive amounts of warfighting equipment. Inspectors maintain full access to any building with an entrance of two meters or greater in width. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)

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CFE exercise takes place at Spangdahlem

German Bundeswehr Lt. Col. Siegfried Houben, Host-Nation German Verification Agency escort, talks with other inspectors from the Czech Republic about gaining entrance to a facility during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 29, 2014. The Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty allows treaty signatories to inspect one another’s bases to determine compliance with treaty regulations. The CFE treaty limits the amount of warfighting equipment to an acceptable volume to eliminate unfair advantages of other nations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)

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CFE exercise takes place at Spangdahlem

Inspectors from the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty verification team walk through buildings during an exercise at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 29, 2014. CFE inspections allow foreign countries to conduct an on-site inspection of U.S. installations. The inspections verify that the United States remains in compliance with treaty limits on equipment like tanks, armored-combat vehicles, heavy artillery, combat aircraft and attack helicopters. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese/Released)

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CFE exercise takes place at Spangdahlem

Published Oct. 1, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Kyle Gese
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- A group of inspectors from both the Czech Republic and France visited Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 29, 2014, as part of a Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty compliance inspection exercise.

The treaty ensures military installations remain in compliance with numerical limits on offensive conventional armaments. Members of the foreign inspection teams examine designated installations on very short notice in the interest of openness and transparency to ensure treaty standards.

"It was very beneficial to me," said the Army of the Czech Republic Maj. Marek Fischer, Treaty Verification Agency inspection team leader. "The CFE is about building cooperation and friendship between nations. It is very important for every nation in the whole world to have a treaty like this. I want to thank everyone who participated in this event, because the preparation and service from your team was great."

The treaty also ensures against large concentrations of armed forces personnel in addition to weapon stockpiles. These inspections occur with the intention of verifying a military balance of forces among treaty signatory nations for equipment like tanks, armored combat vehicles, heavy artillery, combat aircraft and attack helicopters.

"The CFE treaty, which we implemented during this exercise, builds confidence and trust between signatories," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Wesley Hales, Defense Threat Reduction Agency escort team chief from Kleber Kaserne, Kaiserslautern. "Today's practice inspection between NATO partners helped us as a nation, Spangdahlem in particular, prepare for the next real-world inspection team from the former Soviet Union. The 52nd Fighter Wing did well today. They should be proud."